Modern electronic systems typically comprise a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) or chips, i.e., electronic devices, providing the functionality of the system. Reliable operation of such electronic systems is particularly important for circuits whose malfunction may be life threatening. For example, military electronic systems, which, for example, can be used for controlling weapons or for communicating data in critical situations, must be functional in a reliable matter. Similarly, civil systems incorporating such integrated electronic devices need to function reliably, i.e., for example, medical or aerospace systems. Consequently reliable function as specified for the particular IC or chip is essential for comprising the electronic system.
It is known that there is a grey market offering faked or counterfeit integrated circuits or chips, that is, where the IC was not produced by the original component manufacturer or an authorized manufacturer.
Furthermore there is a grey market for ICs that are not to be used any longer, for example, because their lifetime has exceeded its predefined lifespan. It is known that these ICs, for example, are removed from printed circuit boards to replace corresponding defective ICs. To prevent this kind of swapping conventional ICs can be equipped with production identity numbers to allow tracking and tracing of chips.
To prevent such undesired re-use of chips it is known that a lifespan counter can be implemented on a chip register, which may limit the lifetime of the chip or system. However, devices having such means for limiting lifetime are limited and in many cases can protect only the lifetime of the chip or the system from overall aging. It is known that circuitry including the chips and having a system failure allow such chips to be collected and reused in other systems, since the lifetime values of these chips are not expended.
When chips are reused in this way, the quality of a system can be compromised. In turn this can have larger impact including life threatening risks in systems mentioned above.
Accordingly there is a desire for a system that prevents the use or reuse of undesired devices, i.e., chips or ICs or even analog circuitry, in an electronic circuit, wherein an undesired device is one that the original manufacturer wants to exclude from being used in that individual system.